~Pudu

The scientific name for pudus is Pudu puda
the world population of pudus in 2001
was about 12,400.
the main threat for these animals are humans'
need to cut down their habitats for farming, etc.

So Pudus are endangered animals.
They are herbivores (they don't eat meat)
and
live by themselves until
mating time. These mini-deer
are about 600-825 mm in
length and 250-430 mm tall.
Pudus are approximately
13-29.5 lbs.

The deer belonging to the Pudu genus are the
smallest deer in the world, so tiny that people have
even captured them for pets, thereby contributing to
their decline in the wild.  Similar in appearance to the
northern pudu (Pudu mephistopheles), but slightly smaller,
the southern pudu has a short, glossy, reddish-brown
to dark-brown coat, with underparts and legs slightly lighter,
and lips and insides of the ears orangish.
Fawns are spotted with white, probably for camouflage.
With a round body and short legs, the low-slung form
is similar to many small forest ungulates, and
thought to be an adaptation to slipping more easily
through dense undergrowth and bamboo thickets.
The eyes and ears are small and the tail is very short.
Males sport short, simple spiked antlers
that are shed annually in July.

 

They live in the lower Andes of Chile and Argentina!

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Credits: BBC Natural History Unit

   Pudu Baby

Pudu Painting by Jean Bradbury!
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